evans



Dec. 21, 1954 2,697,654

J. E. EVANS PIPE SYSTEM FOR GUIDING CONTACT MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet l BETWEEN UPPER AND LOWER ZONES Filed March 14, 1947 mmmmmm upl uu u W g INVENTOR.

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Dec. 21, 1954 J. E. EVANS 2,697,654

PIPE SYSTEM FOR GUIDING CONTACT MATERIAL BETWEEN UPPER AND LOWER ZONES Filed March 14, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

BY Jamew E Eva! M M A ORA E United States Patent() PIPE SYSTEM FOR GUIDING CONTACT MATE- RIAL BETWEEN UPPER AND LOWER ZONES James E. Evans, Wallingford, Pa., assignor to Houdry Process Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application March 14, 1947, Serial No. 734,680

Claims. (Cl. 23-288) My invention relates to a system for guiding contact material from an upper zone to a lower zone and, more particularly, the invention relates to a system for withdrawing contact material from or admitting it to a regenerating or other housing, in which it is subjected to treatment with fluid reactants or other process fluid.

In accordance with my invention, contact material of the character hereinafter described is guided or conveyed from an upper zone to a lower zone by a pipe system extending throughout the entire distance between said zones and comprising branches disposed in parallel relation by which I mean branches disposed in side-by-side or contiguous relation which are not necessarily parallel in a geometrical sense.

More particularly and as hereinafter described in detail, the aforesaid pipe system is utilized for withdrawing contact material from the bottom of a regenerating housing or the like. The number of parallel branches of the pipe system decreases in progressively lower levels thereof and, preferably, the entire pipe system is symmetrically disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of said housing.

It is characteristic of the invention that my novel pipe system comprises a plurality of series of pipes at successively lower levels, each of the successively lower series containing a smaller number of pipes, and the upper portion of each pipe in each of the series below the uppermost receiving a plurality of separate streams of contact material from the series immediately thereabove. In order to promote uniformity of flow of these streams of contact material, each upper pipe portion preferably has associated therewith a deflecting structure or splitter plate, as hereinafter described, which cooperates with the interior surfaces of the associated upper pipe portion to form individual channels traversed by the respective streams of contact material prior to passage thereof into the lower pipe portions.

Various other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

My invention resides in the pipe system for guiding or conveying contact material from an upper zone to a lower zone, the novel draw-off system, features and combinations of the character hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of my invention and for an illustration of one of the forms thereof, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. la is a fragmentary, sectional view illustrating a detailed feature of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, partly in plan, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating a detailed feature of the invention;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 3;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are horizontal sectional views, partly in plan, taken on the respective lines 5-5, 6-6 and 7-7 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective illustrating a detailed feature of the invention.

Referring to Fig. l, I have shown a housing 1 which defines a zone wherein carbonaceous material is burned from contact material C during downward passage thereof through said housing under the influence of gravity, the contact material being admitted to the housing 1 in suit- 2,691,654 Patented Dec. 21, 1954 able manner, as by passage thereof through a plurality of pipes 2 opening through the'top housing wall and, usually defining an upper surface having conical configuration. Ordinarily, the contact material C is catalytic in character such, for example, as activated clay pellets, synthetic silica-alumina pellets or beads or the like having suitable major dimensions, as between 91 and inch. In a reaction zone, not shown, hydrocarbon material may be cracked or otherwise converted in the presence of moving catalytic contact material of the character described which thereafter is elevated to the entrance end of the housing 1 for downward passage therethrough for the purpose stated above.

In known manner, the housing 1 may have associated therewith engagers E and disengagers D which may be disposed alternately or in other suitable manner. Each engager E engages a stream of a regenerating medium, such as air, with the gravitating contact material to progressively burn the carbonaceous material therefrom and the resulting flue gases are withdrawn from the housing 1 by the disengagers D. The engagers E may be of any suitable character. As herein indicated, each of them, and also each disengager D, comprises a horizontal pipe 3 for the gaseous medium, each pipe 3, interiorly of the housing 1, being positioned midway between opposite side walls thereof and carrying a horizontal grid structure formed from inverted channel members 4 extending from opposite respective sides thereof, the admitted regenerating gases, for each engager E, being'engaged with the contact material at the lower surfaces of said channel members 4. As known in the art, suitable coil structures, one of which is shown at 5 in Fig. 1, may be suitably positioned in the housing 1, these coil structures being traversed by a suitable cooling medium in order to prevent excessive rise in temperature of the contact material undergoing regeneration.

In accordance with the invention, a metallic baflie plate or sheet 6 is suitably supported, for example, as hereinafter described horizontally in the housing 1 adjacent the lower end thereof. This baflle plate, as shown in Fig. 2,

is of square configuration and it has a plurality of circular passages 7 extending vertically therethrough, the diameter of all of the passages 7 being approximately the same. These passages 7 are spaced with respect to each other in such manner that they form groups 8 of four passages each, all of these group being symmetrically related to each other. It will be noted that the four passages 7 of each passage group 8 are spaced equidistantly from each other in right-angular relation, this equidistant spacing between the passages in each group preferably being somewhat less than the spacing between adjacent passage groups 8.

As indicated in Figs. 1-4 inc., the large upper end of a funnel 9 is disposed beneath each of the passage groups 8 in encompassing relation with respect ot the four passages 7 thereof. The upper surface of each funnel 9 is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the lower surface of the baffle plate 6 and, hence, the funnels support the battle plate, said funnels, in turn, being supported as hereinafter described. Preferably, although not nocessarily, the funnels 9 are duplicates and of rectangular, pyramidal configuration.

The lower end of each funnel 9 is secured to the upper end of a vertical pipe 10, Figs. 1, 4 and 5, all of those pipes 10 being suitably secured to and supported by a horizontal, metallic plate 11, Figs. 1 and 10:, forming the lower surface of the housing 1. As will be noted from a consideration of Fig. 5, the pipes 10 form groups, each of which consists of four pipes, all of these groups being symmetrically related to each other. Each pipe 10 comprises and communicates with an angular, downwardly extending pipe section 12, the pipe sections 12 of each group of pipes 10 extending toward a common center where, at a common level, they communicate with a vertical pipe 13, Fig. 5, all of the pipes 13 being suitably secured to and supported by the aforesaid plate 11.

Referring to Fig. 6, the pipes 13 are shown as forming groups, each of which consists of four pipes, all of these groups being symmetrically related to each other. Each pipe 13 comprises and communicates with an angular,

downwardly extending pipe section 14, the pipe sections 14 of each group of pipes 13 extending toward a common center where, at a common level, they communicate with a vertical pipe 15, Fig. 6.

As shown in Fig. 7, the pipes 15 form a single group of pipes, each of which comprises and communicates with an angular downwardly extending pipe section 16. The pipe sections last named, at'a common level, communicate with a single main pipe or conduit 17, Figs. 1 and 7, coinciding, in the form of the invention herein shown, with the longitudinal axis of the housing 1.

'In view of the preceding description, it will be understood that the groups of pipes 10, the groups of pipes 13 and the single group of pipes 15 define feed paths transversed by the gravitating contact material. These pipes or feed paths confine the contact material so that it moves only in a longitudinal direction therethrough and, hence, the cohtact'material is transversely enclosed by said pipes during the described gravitational movement thereof.

In the form of the invention herein shown, although not necessarily, the bottom surface of the housing 1, as stated above, is defined by a horizontal, metallic plate 11. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 1 1, there may be positioned on the upper surface of said plate 11 a layer 11a of suitable heat-insulating material which cooperates,as indicated at 1a, Fig. 1a, with the usual heat-insulating material forming the vertical interior surface of said housing 1. With an arrangement of the character just described, it will be understood that the funnels 9, the pipes 10, the pipe sections 12 and the upper portions of the pipes 13 are for convenience within the insulated housing, this being desirable because decreasing the radiation of heat to the atmosphere.

The contact material C moves downwardly through the housing 1 and, after passage thereof below the lower most coil structure'5, gravitates from the lower surface of the moving bed thereof through the passages 7 of the baflle plate 6 and then in'succession through the funnels 9, the pipes 10, pipe extensions 12, pipes 13', pipe extensions 14, pipes 15, pipe extensions 16 and, finally, to and through the main conduit 17,an extension of the latter having associated therewith a suitable valve, not shown, whichregulates the rate of flow of the contact material downwardly through the housing 1 and the draw-off system referred to immediately above.

From the previous description, it clearly appears that each funnel 9 (together with the vertical pipe depend: ing therefrom) and each vertical pipe 13, and 17 receives streams of contact material 'which passes thereto along four separate paths, the paths of each four-stream path being disposed with respect to each other in rightangular relation. In accordance with a detailed feature of the invention, each funnel 9 and each vertical pipe 13, 15,, and 17 may have associated therewith a structure 18 formed from members which intersect or engage each other in angular relation so as to define a plurality of passages, a structure of this character being hereinafter termed a splitter plate.

Thus, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the splitter plate 18 for each funnel 9 extends from the bottom to the top thereof and, to secure these members together, adjacent surfaces thereof may be spot-welded or otherwise suitably secured to each other. As will be noted, the four passages of each splitter plate 18 together with the respective adjacent portions of the funnel 9 define individual paths traversed by the respective streams of contact material leaving the 'four passages 7 located directly thereabove. Each set of these passages remain separate throughout the height of the funnel 9 and merge together only at the top surface of the associated pipe 10. Due to the presence of the described splitter plates 18, downward movement of the contact material through the passages 7 of each group. thereof is rendered more uniform than would be the case if said splitter plates 18 were omitted. Thus, the surface of the contact material, below each group of passages 7, assumes angular formation and if not prevented by a splitter plate, a surge of contact material through one, passage 7 builds up this angular surface of the contact material below adjacent passages 7 of the same group thereof and, in a cumulative manner, decreases the movement of contact material through one or more of said adjacent passages 7.

Referring to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the lowermost vertical pipe 17 is shown as having associated therewith a splitter plate 18'which may be held in its intended position in any suitable manner. Thus, the upper surface of the splitter plate last named may be spot-welded or otherwise suitably secured to a disk 19 which, in turn, may be seam-welded to the top surface of the pipe 17 so as to form a cover therefor. This splitter plate" has sufiicient height as illustrated so that it extends some distance below the lower surfaces of the respective pipe sections 16 which, at a common level, discharge contact material into said pipe 17. In view of the foregoing description relating to the splitter plate-funnel arrangement, it will be understood that the splitter plate 18 ofFig. '8 operates effectively to prevent the development of undesired surges of contact material through one or more of the pipe sections 16.

As indicated on the drawing, a splitter plate as illustrated in Fig. 8 should be associated with the top portion of ea'clrof'the vertical pipes 13 and 15 as and for the purpose described above.

In prior practice, ithas been customary to space a plurality of horizontal plates vertically in the lower conical portion of a regenerating or other housing, these plates comprising passages which progressively decrease in numher while progressively increasing in diameter toward the bottom of the housing. On each of these plates, a layer of contact ma erial accumulates and, beneath each upper passage, the contact material accumulates as a stagnant mass, the upper surface of which is defined by the conical angle of repose of the contact material. During continued operation of such a system, the aforesaid stagnant mass, to greater and greater extent, tends to and is formed from fines and this causes the angle of repose thereof to increase. 7 Under extreme conditions, this angle of repose may increase to such extent as to adversely affect the desired uniformity of flow of the contact material from the plate passage disposed directly thereabove. With the disclosed draw-oiisysteni, the above described plates on which the contact material accumulates are omitted. Hence, the system of my invention avoids the disadvantage noted above and, in addition, decreases the amount of contact material required in the draw-off system.

More particularly, it will be noted that, above the battle plate 6,'the contact material exists as a downwardly moving bed of such material and, hence, the baffle plate defines the lower surface'of this bed. Below such bafile plate 6, the pipe system of my invention extends downwardly throughout the entiredistance to the pipe or conduit 17, the contact'material, while avoiding piling thereof on horizontal plates, passing through the pipe system branches which are effectively in parallel relation and which progressiyely decrease in number while increasing in diameter ats'ucceeding lowenlevels. Aside from the specific advantage'noted above, the use of'such continuous conduit systems is desirable because promoting uniformity of downward fio'wfof the contact material in the lower portion of the housing 1' above thebafile plate 6 and at all horizontal levels in the draw-off system.

In connection withthe foregoing, it will be noted as regards the preferred form of the invention herein illustrated that, after leaving the bottom of the housing 1, the contact material g'ravitates' successively through groups of vertical passages which are related symmetrically to the longitudinal housing axis, this being exemplified by reference'to'Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 7 which indicate the described symmetricalrelation of the vertical passages 7 together with that of the passages defined by the respective vertical'pipes 10, 13, 15 and 17. Further, while moving step-'by-step along inclined paths between each set of the vertical passages referred to immediately above (these inclined paths also being symmetrically related to the longitudinal housing axis) all of the contact material moves progressively in step-by-step fashion toward said longitudinal housing axis until, finally, it is collected in and moves through the single lowermost pipe 17, the longitudinal axis of which, as stated above, coincides with the axis of said housing 1. The symmetrical arrangement described above. contributes effectively to. uniform distr'ibution of the contact material in the various paths defined by the. aforesaid parallel conduit systems.

As stated above, the bottom plate 11 of the housing 1 supports the pipes 10 and 13, the pipes 10 supporting the respective, funnels 9, which, inturn, support the baffie plate 6. The pipes 13 support the lower pipes 15 and 17 together with; the associated pipe, sections." Hence, in the form of the invention herein shown, although not neces sarily, the plate 11 supports the bafiie plate 6, the funnels 9 and all of the pipesand pipe sections with which the respective funnels 9 communicate.

As regards the form of the invention herein disclosed, the passages 7, together with the pipes 10, 13, 15 and 17 are numerically related in accordance with the ratio 256:64zl6z4z1. The diameter of each of the passages 7 is selected so as to provide total passage area which is adequate for free downward movement of the contact material through the zone defined by the baffie plate 6. It will be understood that the diameters of the respective sets of pipes 10, 13, 15 and 17 should be progressively larger to suitable extent so that the gravitating contact material passes freely therethrough at progressively increasing velocity.

It shall be understood that there is to be no limitation of the invention to the numerical relation referred to above as existing between the passages 7 together with the pipes 10, 13, 15 and 17. Obviously, there may be wide variation in this relation as desired and, further, the invention is not to be confined to any particular number of levels wherein the number of draw-off pipes is decreased.

As hereinbefore emphasized, the disclosed draw-oli system promotes uniformity of downward flow of the contact material and this condition is favorably influenced by the provision of a housing, such as the housing 1 herein disclosed which is square in horizontal section as illustrated in Fig. 2. However, the invention is not to be thus limited nor is the invention to be limited to a draw-off system utilizable for withdrawing contact material from a regenerating housing. Obviously, within the purview of the invention, the housing traversed by the contact material may be one wherein any desired and suitable reaction or operation is conducted.

With a regenerating housing of the character herein described, it is customary, in order to establish a seal zone, for a stream of gases of suitable character to be admitted thereto adjacent the bottom thereof. With the draw-off system of my invention, the contact material completely fills the pipes and pipe sections at all times and thereby provides a more efiective seal than with prior art arrangements. Further, the effective length of this seal is relatively long and this contributes to the magnitude of the pressure difl'erential between the bottom of the housing and the pipe 1'7.

Although the funnels 9 together with the pipes 10, 13 and 15 have been disclosed as extending in parallel relation, in a geometric sense, it shall be understood that the invention is not to be thus limited. As well, if desired, all or a desired number of the aforesaid funnels and pipes may be disposed in inclined relation.

In lieu of the hereinbefore described single main conduit 17, it will be understood that two or more main conduits may be provided, this being advantageous, for example, when portions of the contact material passing from the houstng 1 are to be sent to different respective destinations.

As hereinbefore stated, the pipe system of my invention may be utilized, if desired, for admitting contact material to a suitable housing. If so, the pipe system may be disposed in a position which is inverted as regards the position thereof shown in Fig. 1, and, if this is done the main conduit 7 isutilized for admission of the contact material to the housing 1 where it defines an upper surface which is engaged by the admitted contact material.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a housing through which particulate contact material passes downwardly as a moving bed under the influence of gravity, a main conduit coincid ing with the longitudinal axis of said housing and adapt ed to be traversed by all of the contact material passing therefrom, and a pipe system extending downwardly through the entire distance from the bottom of said bed to said main conduit, said pipe system comprising a plurality of groups of pipes, the pipes of each group be ng disposed in parallel relation at a common level, said pipe 6 system comprising another group of pipes disposed at a lower level, inclined pipe sections connecting each of said last named pipes with several of said first named groups of pipes, and inclined pipe sections connecting said last named group of pipes to said main conduit.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the groups of pipes at each of said levels are disposed in parallel symmetrical relation, the lower ends of each group of said inclined pipe sections being arranged to discharge at a common level, and the pipes at each level, including said main conduit, being of greater cross-sectional area than the pipes of groups at the level next above.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 including a splitter plate positioned within each pipe, including said main conduit, receiving contact material from said inclined pipe sections, said plitter plate comprising a plurality of imperforate vertical plate members each extending horizontally from the vertical axis of the pipe to the side wall thereof and extending vertically above and below the junctures between said pipe and its associated group of inclined pipe sections, the ntunber of said plate members being equal to the number of inclined pipe sections connected to said pipe, whereby adjacent plate members and the portion of the pipe wall therebetween define an individual passageway for contact material discharged from a single inclined pipe section.

4. In combination, a housing through which particulate contact material gravitates as a contact moving bed, a main conduit below and in axial alignment with said housing, and a continuous pipe system extending downwardly from the bottom of said bed to the upper end of said main conduit for withdrawing said contact material from said bed comprising a plurality of vertical pipes arranged in groups at a common level, a group of vertical pipes disposed at a lower common level, a plurality of inclined pipe sections connecting the pipes of one of said first-named groups with a pipe of said lastnamed group, the pipes of said last-named group having a greater flow area than the pipes of said first-named groups, and a second plurality of inclined pipe sections connecting the pipes of said last-named group with said main conduit, said main conduit having a greater flow area than the pipes of said last-named group.

5. Apparatus for contacting gas with particulate contact material gravitating as a compact moving bed, which comprises a closed vessel having a gas inlet, a gas outlet and a contact material inlet, and having a substantially horizontal bottom closure provided with a plurality of uniform contact material withdrawal apertures distributed uniformly in groups of four over the entire horizontal cross-sectional area thereof, a single discharge conduit spaced axially below said bottom closure, at least one group of vertical pipes positioned at least at one level intermediate said bottom closure and said discharge conduit, the pipes of any group being at a common level and numbering one-fourth of the pipes in the group next above, and the number of pipes in the group next below said bottom closure being one-fourth the number of said apertures, the number of said groups of vertical pipes being one less than the exponent to which the number 4 must be raised to give the number of said apertures, means defining separate confined passages for merging the contact material streams of each group of four apertures into one of said vertical pipes in the pipe group next below said bottom closure, separate conduit means connecting the four pipes of each group with a pipe of the group next below and connecting the lowermost group of four pipes to said single discharge conduit, and means associated with said discharge conduit for throttling the fiow of contact material therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 987,837 Staunton Mar. 28, 1911 2,066,960 Cook et a1 Jan. 5, 1937 2,370,555 Mabrito Feb. 27, 1945 2,412,135 Evans Dec. 3, 1946 2,412,136 Evans et a1 Dec. 3, 1946 

1. IN COMBINATION, A HOUSING THROUGH WHICH PARTICULATE CONTACT MATERIAL PASSES DOWNWARDLY AS A MOVING BED UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF GRAVITY, A MAIN CONDUIT COINCIDING WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID HOUSING AND ADAPTED TO BE TRAVERSED BY ALL OF THE CONTACT MATERIAL PASSING THEREFROM, AND A PIPE SYSTEM EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE ENTIRE DISTANCE FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID BED TO SAID MAIN CONDUIT, SAID PIPE SYSTEM COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF GROUPS OF PIPES, THE PIPES OF EACH GROUP BEING DISPOSED IN PARALLEL RELATION AT A COMMON LEVEL, SAID PIPE SYSTEM COMPRISING ANOTHER GROUP OF PIPES DISPOSED AT A LOWER LEVEL, INCLINED PIPE SECTIONS CONNECTING EACH OF SAID LAST NAMED PIPES WITH SEVERAL OF SAID FIRST NAMED GROUPS OF PIPES, AND INCLINED PIPE SECTIONS CONNECTING SAID LAST NAMED GROUP OF PIPES TO SAID MAIN CONDUIT. 